Bob Wardell's FSC Freshman Beanie, 1954

Summary

Creator:

Wardell, Robert

Extent:

.083 Linear Feet

Language:

English

Background

Scope and content:

The red beanie cap ("rat cap") is from his first semester at Florida Southern in the fall of 1954.

Acquisition information:

The red beanie cap was given to the Alumni Relations Office in 2019 and subsequently transferred to the McKay Archives in July 2021.

Rules or conventions:

Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Related

Other descriptive data:

Starting in the 1930s, Florida Southern College had a tradition of the "Rat Court" for incoming freshmen. For their first two weeks of college, freshmen were required to wear red beanie caps, also known as "Rat Caps," and follow a list of specific rules set by upperclassmen. Such rules could include knowing the names of the entire senior class and faculty members as well as opening doors for all upperclassmen and faculty. Freshmen who did not follow the rules were brought up before the Rat Court to stand trial. The last Rat Court occurred in the fall of 1969 as Student Government voted the following spring semester to end the tradition in 1970

Indexed terms

Subjects:

College students—Florida—Lakeland—Social life and customs
College freshmen—Florida—Lakeland
Beanies (Headgear)

Terms of access:

There is no copyright restriction on this beanie. Please inquire if you have questions at 863-680-4453.

Location of this collection:

The Sarah D. and L. Kirk McKay, Jr. Archives Center Manuscript Collections

Florida Southern College

111 Lake Hollingsworth Dr.

Lakeland

FL

33801

USA

Contact:

https://www.flsouthern.edu/library/archives